Falling Into Nothing
by EagleFeathersInMyHair
Summary: Kagome has lost her only love to her only hate. Seizing control of her fate, she seeks out the only one that can aid her in her quest for revenge. *Sess/Kag*
1. Losing Everything and Feeling Nothing

**Soooo this is my first post on this site! Exciting, right? I have a bunch more chapters to upload... they are already on Dokuga and IYFF, so I won't bor you with the chappie notes I put on those. Please remember to review!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or its characters. But I do occasionally dream that I win an auction for Sesshoumaru on eBay.**

_No. Please, by all the gods, no._

No amount of wishing could change things. That was his body… and nothing could be done to bring him back.

The world around her faded, and all she saw was him. His beautiful silver hair tinged crimson with his blood. The claws he had once protected her with, encrusted with the grit and gore of battle. The lids she knew hid beautiful golden eyes. Eyes she knew she would never see again.

And that was it. She fell to her knees, not wanting to live anymore in a world without him. Without… Inuyasha.

It was all over. Inuyasha had finally been killed by that godforsaken Naraku, and she suddenly had nothing left. Kagome was, above anything, lost.

Sure, she still had the shards. She still had Shippo, Sango, and Miroku too. It didn't matter though. Inuyasha had been her love for the past two years, there was no escaping that. She had denied it and denied it, but now he was gone.

The tears came, and they wouldn't stop.

She could see it all. All the times she had made him angry. All the times she had gotten him hurt. Kagome could almost feel the wind rushing through her hair as her toned legs clung to his waist. She suddenly had the scent of a campfire stinging in her nose. She had sat over those fired, cooking the ramen that he loved with all his little heart.

And in that moment when it all came back to her, she could see him, the way he was on that first day. The day she first met her best friend. She just had to touch those adorable ears. How exotic he had looked... after a time she had almost gotten used to his ruggedly handsome features. She could never quite get used to his inhuman appearance, but still, she loved him. In fact, his exotic appearance had even become strangely attractive.

And now she couldn't help but wonder if she had done the right thing.

If he was still pinned to that tree... he'd still be alive.

Reality suddenly cameback to her, and he was still laying there. Her love was laying in a puddle of his own blood, a testament to the life that had flowed from his veins. All she wanted was to fill him with her own life, to make him whole again. He would suddenly rise and demand she make hime ramen while he went and got cleaned up. All would be right with the world.

But that could not happen. He was gone, and he had went somewhere she could not follow.

"Kagome? Kagome?"

A soft voice she absently identified as Sango's.

"Kagome? Please… we need to bury him. You've been there for an hour now. Naraku might still come back."

"Sango, is she okay? I don't know if she even heard you."

"Maybe she didn't, Miroku. I'm worried."

"I am as well. Perhaps-"

"I heard her. You go on. I'll just stay right here."

"No, Kagome," said the monk. "We're not leaving you alone here. Naraku may come back. His wounds were great, but he regenerates quickly. We will not lose you too."

With that, Sango came and wrapped her in a warm embrace, the only comfort she could give the woman she called sister.

Miroku approached the body of his fallen comrade, his mouth set in a grim line. He removed his purple outer robe and used it the cover the gruesome figure. He and Sango traded a heavy look before he spoke.

"Kagome I - I think you should go. You've seen enough of this. Sango will walk you back to the village. You can rest awhile in Kaede's hut. Please, go. I'll take care of him."

She didn't even think to protest. With graceless movements she stood, turned, and began walking in the direction of the village. The battlefield left behind, the forest ahead glowed radiantly, the sunlight streaming through the tall trees. Its beauty was completely lost on her. She felt no fatigue, but that was because she was already dead. Or at least she felt that way. Kagome didn't even acknowledge the presence of Sango; it didn't even register with her mind that her friend was still there. Kagome was simply doing as she was told.

The solemn pair made it to Kaede's hut as the sun began its descent. The crimson-stained sky probably would have reminded her of nothing but blood, had she even noticed it.

Sango tried to feed her, to no avail. Kaede prepared her a bath and helped her bathe. She wrapped her in a thin sleeping yukata and laid her down on her sleeping mat by the fire.

Kagome closed her eyes and knew nothing of the world as she was enveloped by the eagerly waiting blackness.


	2. A Realization and A Newer Question

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**DISCLAIMER: ****DISCLAIMER: I do not own Inuyasha, anime or manga - Rumiko Takahashi does, that lucky lady. I offered Satan my soul for some Sesshoumaru lovin' but he said he couldn't do anything. Go figure.**

"Hello, Kagome! How are you today?"

"I'm good, Miroku. How did the exorcism go?"

It had been three weeks since Inuyasha's death. Kagome seemed to be doing better but… they could just tell. Something wasn't right. There was a sadness in her eyes that had never been there before. Always the epitome of innocence, it was strange to see Kagome as anything less than full of joy for such a long period of time.

"It went well." At this the monk winked. "I'm sure we can get enough provisions to last for a week with the payout."

"Watch yourself, monk. You could at least pretend you didn't just lie to get that money," the taijiya teased. They knew she wasn't truly angry – she had that sparkle in her eye that said she was just giving a good-natured ribbing.

"Any way, we should get going. It's early yet and I think we could get a bit of travel out of the way before it gets dark."

And with that, they packed up and left the inn. They had arrived the day before, seeking to restore their provisions. When they realized just how meager their funds were, Miroku had kindly offered to perform an exorcism... on the most luxurious inn in the village. Luckily for them, the innkeeper was deathly terrified of any type of spirit and had offered a generous sum in return. They were also treated to a night of rest free of charge and a large meal under the condition that the exorcism would be performed early the next morning.

Miroku had even made an effort to be convincing. His "exorcism" lasted almost an hour. Instead of watching, Kagome had used that time to reserve their items at the merchants' stalls.

The trio departed in comfortable silence. They traveled northwest, though no one knew why. They had no leads to follow. At this point, they just went wherever the metaphorical wind took them.

Now that Kagome had no nimble hanyou to hitch a ride with, they had to make do with Kirara. This of course meant they could cover less ground; Kirara just wasn't able to travel as swiftly with three humans on her back.

After a couple of hours, Kagome felt her stomach begin to rumble – or possibly scream – to be fed. Thinking back to their meal the night before, the young miko felt even emptier. She wasn't just hungry. She couldn't help but think how much Inuyasha would have loved that meal. He would have eaten the rice like he had been starved for weeks. He would have then moved on to the dumplings, dispatching them with the ease of one with a bottomless pit for a stomach. The possibly insane half-demon would have finished off with a fish or two, just because he could.

The mental image brought a brief smile to her face, before she could realize he would never eat his favorite meals again. _I haven't made ramen in weeks,_ she thought bitterly.

_That bastard Naraku._

And that was when it came to her. There was no escaping it. Naraku was hers and hers alone to deal with.

_I don't care what happens. Fate has made it my responsibility to remove that scum from this earth. That's why the jewel brought me here. That's what I must do._

There was only one problem. She had just about zero training. Sure, Kaede had tried, but what time had they had? And pretty little healing miko sparkles wouldn't help now. She needed to know how to fight. How to kill. The arrows could only do so much.

Kagome knew that for any kind of success, she needed control... something she obviously lacked. How many times had her own energy just burst out of her, leaving her drained to almost nothing? She needed to be able to control her powers even in frightening situations.

Another skill she knew she needed was the ability to channel her energy. Arrows were fine for long distance, but shooting someone from five feet away was a bit impractical. The thought just led to another, more daunting one: she needed to learn to use a weapon. Not just a miko's bow and arrow. No, those were for defensive fighting, to protect. What the priestess wanted now was to seek and destroy. She needed the tools of war. But who would teach a teenage miko to use a sword? She knew that even if she could find someone to agree, she would still need to learn to channel her reiki through the weapon. What swordsman toyed with things like that in his free time? There were so many questions, but one stood out in the front of her mind:

_I need help... But from who?_


	3. Deep Thoughts and a Surprising Meeting

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**DISCLAIMER: I do not own, nor am I even affiliated in the smallest way with Inuyasha and the gang. Unless dreams about a certain demon lord count….. ohhhh….. bad doggy….**

BANG!

"Damn it!"

She swore quietly to herself as she inspected her poor toe. Little Miss Butterfingers had struck again, and her toe was now turning black and blue from the large pot that had just fallen upon its pitiful little self.

Kagome hobbled around the camp, trying to get enough things together to make a decent meal. Miroku was currently out scowering the forest for some firewood. As if they weren't practically surrounded by it.

Sango had also vacated the area, on the premise of fetching some water. She had also hinted at a bath, but Kagome wanted some time to herself. She needed to think – about the same thing that had been on her mind for the past three days. She knew what she had to do. And she almost knew how to go about it. It was just the 'how' that was going to be complicated… and possibly dangerous.

All she knew was she needed she needed to slip away somehow. Revenge wasn't something completed with a posse. She needed to get her 'how' out of the way, find Naraku, skin him alive, and skip triumphantly back to the village with the jewel. Simple, right?

Wrong. There was no way she could run from her friends – a trained monk, skilled in combat, and a taijiya no less – and get away. Especially not with the toe that she had possibly just broken.

It didn't help that the priestess felt bad about lying to her friends. _Not lying to, she_ reminded herself, _just… concealing from._ This reasoning made her feel a little bit better about something she knew was wrong. Perhaps she was still completely aware of the fact that it _was_ lying and no two ways about it. Maybe she also knew that if they found out she wanted nothing more than to leave them behind and have her revenge they would be hurt beyond belief.

It could have been that just knowing they would forgive her made it seem alright. As long as they still supported her in the end, things would be fine. And how could they hate her when she came flouncing back home with a sparkly, shiny Shikon Jewel? They couldn't.

As much as she knew she was idealizing about the situation, Kagome didn't care. Right now, her friends' feelings didn't matter. All that mattered was resolving the issue at hand. Nothing mattered more than killing that black-hearted bastard that called himself Naraku. Lying to herself once again, she reasoned that it wasn't for her that she was taking this duty upon herself. With Naraku gone, there would be happiness and prosperity again. The people wouldn't have to live in fear of a narcissistic hanyou and his demon brigade. It was only fitting that the Shikon Miko put the situation to rights.

And once again that damn 'how' question came to mind.

As she sat there, going through the motions of cooking, the 'how' she was contemplating was headed her way.

He raised a mental eyebrow hearing the miko's language. Surely she hadn't learned _those_ words from anyone with any class.

As Sesshoumaru walked toward the racket the clumsy little miko was causing, he pondered his own motivations for being here. He already knew Inuyasha was dead. They were pack-family. His end of their grudging connection had suddenly flickered out and there was no explanation other than the termination of the half-breed's life. He told himself he needed details, but it seemed quite clear to him that Naraku was the hanyou's killer. As much as he hated _that_ little bit of tarnish on the family's reputation, Sesshoumaru knew that the half-breed was quite capable of holding his own in a fight. He would not fall to just anyone's blade.

Then why was he here? There was a moment when he would have turned, but then her scent hit him. There was something different. There was still that sweet scent of rain and her purity that marked her as a miko. Only now there was something else. A darker note that had never been there before. He had to see this strange woman with his own eyes and hopefully discern what had caused her pure reiki to change.

As he stepped gracefully, silently into the clearing, she gasped.

What the hell.


	4. A Story Told and An Appointment Made

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******DISCLAIMER: I still don't own Inuyasha. You can quit asking. And keep your mitts of my Fluffy-sama too!**

He stood there in all his glory while she trembled and stood as tall as she possibly could. She tried to hide her fear, but when he spoke there was little she could do. It took all her strength to keep from running to the nearest cliff and jumping off of it.

"The whelp is dead."

He stated this calmly. So calmly, in fact, that she had to wonder why he was there. He knew it already; it wasn't a question.

_He seems so broken up about it, _she thought with dry sarcasm.

"Uh… yeah. A few weeks ago. I uh… it was Naraku. We fought and he hurt him but not bad enough and Naraku got away but then Inuyasha died and…. Um…"

_Argh! Stop rambling Kagome! He's beautiful sure, but he's INUYASHA'S BROTHER! CALM DOWN ALREADY!_

Said brother smirked inwardly at the miko's unintelligible ramblings. He could smell the fear rolling off of her, though he had to admit she was hiding it better than usual.

Sesshoumaru studied the quivering Shikon miko for a long minute. There it was: that dark spot that hadn't been there the last time he had seen her. Her aura flared around her, roused by her fear, but it just wasn't right. How could this separate, yet wholly integrated darkness be there in her pure miko aura?

The silent appraisal of the Inu lord was making her nervous. Really nervous.

_Now, where to find a cliff…_

"You will tell me of my brother's death, miko. You will speak in a manner befitting your station: one that can be understood."

His sudden command had her surprised, but, always one to oblige, she told him the story and left nothing out. She spoke of how she had sensed the shard. They had followed it as fast as they could, rushing headlong into a sticky situation... because what they hadn't realized, was that Naraku sensed it too. Inuyasha easily killed the demon carrying the shard. Naraku revealed himself, injuring Inuyasha almost instantly. Inuyasha fought well, wounding Naraku to the point where everyone thought he was done for.

But Inuyasha had been hurt too badly to finish the job. He became slower in his movements and Naraku struck. He snapped Inuyasha's body like he was nothing and fled, for now was not the time to remove the hanyou's friends from the equation as well. He ran off to lick his wounds while the friends grieved for the loss of the hanyou.

She didn't tell him the real story; she spoke nothing of what came after. She knew now that she had spent an hour on her knees, as if wondering when her Inuyasha would get back up. She knew that she had been escorted back to Kaede's, seemingly mindless. The priestess couldn't remember those first couple of hours. Kagome couldn't help but think that they were in her head somewhere, hiding from her. Trying to keep the horror from spreading like the black plague through her mind.

She could feel it. The way Miroku and Sango looked at her said that they knew she wasn't right inside anymore. She had felt the innocence slip out of her in those first days. She hadn't eaten and she barely slept. The nightmares kept her awake. All she could see was the blood drenching the forest floor as she screamed for her friend.

And sometimes, they were better. Not good, because Inuyasha was still dead. In these dreams though, she was there standing over Naraku, broken and begging for mercy. She would deliver the final blow and that knot inside her stomach would ease, just a little bit.

What Kagome was unaware of, the demon lord did not miss. She didn't know that as she spoke of Inuyasha's death, a cold note came into her voice. Every time she spoke the dark hanyou's name, hatred filled her tone. There was a deep sadness in her eyes, a lost innocence that Sesshoumaru could see. But there was even more. He saw how much she despised Naraku for what he had done.

"So," she concluded, "I may… need your help."

That statement surprised him. He was curious about her request, but at the same time baffled by the audacity of this little human female. She thought that he would lower himself to assist her? How amusing.

"Hey, Kagome! Is dinner ready yet? We're starved!" Sango called, completely oblivious. Kagome could sense that Miroku was with her.

Not wanting to endure the presence of these additional humans, Sesshoumaru turned and left before they could get close enough to sense him. He stopped though, and said, "I will hear your request, but not now. Find me tonight and we shall speak of what 'help' you will be needing."


	5. Frazzled Nerves and A Strange Request

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**Happy reading to you all!**

**DISCLAIMER: I swear by the hair on my chinnychinchin (though it's just peach fuzz, really), that I do not own Inuyasha & Co. No siree, Bobby Jean. I know, I know, you're surprised. But really, it's true. I wouldn't be here writing if I did. I'd be off somewhere with my Fluffy-sama… doing things you really don't want to know about.**

She crept out of the camp as quietly as she could, trying not to set off the wards that Miroku had put around the camp as he did every night.

As she moved through the night with all the stealth a clumsy time traveling miko could muster, Kagome couldn't help but think that she was an idiot.

_Who the hell goes creeping away from the safety of a nice warm camp, to meet in secret with an inuyoukai that just so happens to have quite the mean streak?_

Apparently she did. Sure, he would probably kill her for requesting his help. But hey, at least then she could say she tried. It was a 'you only live once' type of thing.

The stars gleamed above her as Kagome uttered a sigh of relief. She finally judged herself to be out of earshot and therefore clear of the camp. The priestess knew she only had so long before she was missed though, so time was of the essence.

She broke cover into a delicate little clearing. The crickets chirped and the fireflies flashed, giving it a peaceful atmosphere. It was as though the moon glowed only to light this one bit of field. She rested for a moment to calm her nerves, reaching out with her mind as she did so. She thought to catch the demon she was looking for on the edge of her awareness.

She did not, however, expect to find his aura reaching for her from only about 20 feet away.

Having just unmasked his aura, the western Lord stepped into the clearing. The miniscule glade was filled with his mighty, and rather intimidating, presence.

The Shikon miko had to repress the urge to roll her eyes.

_Someone's got a thing for dramatic entrances._

He just looked at her, waiting for her to speak first.

Kagome began to get a bit flustered again. He was just so _big_. Not just physically; the strength of his aura was practically strangling her, jumbling her thoughts all together into one big lump of stupid.

Amused by her apparent inner turmoil, Sesshoumaru let himself think for a moment. Why not? This was obviously going to take her a while.

He still wasn't sure why he had come to find her; one of the conditions of this little meeting was that she would come to him. The inuyoukai supposed that it was his honor working without his permission again. This had been the whelp's miko. Unfortunately, this made her pack, and as alpha it was his job to keep her safe. If she got into any trouble while he knew she was out there alone, it would be his fault.

And then, admittedly, there was the curiosity. This diminutive miko held so much pure power, it was ridiculous. Somehow though, she was holding a darkness that she probably couldn't detect. For it to have wormed its way into her aura, the darkness had to have been strong. He wanted to know where it came from, how it got there... and what would come of it.

The center of his ponderings suddenly piped up in what was quite possibly the squeakiest, most abrasively nervous voice he had ever been given the displeasure of hearing.

"Uh, hello, Sesshoumaru-sama. I'm, err, glad you could… make it."

He wanted to plead with her to make the noise stop. To do so would be inappropriate and not befitting his lofty station though, making an order more suitable for his purposes.

"Miko, we have been over this. You will cease blathering and speak as though you possess some intelligence, meager as it may be."

That was enough for her. She wasn't going to let this big, fluffy… _thing_ just insult her. She was here for a reason and she would achieve her goals. This in mind, she also knew responding in kind would not be the best thing to do. More flies with honey than with vinegar, right?

"My apologies, my Lord. I guess I was just surprised. Thank you for coming tonight. I have something I really need to talk to you about… regarding Inuyasha."

He had figured that. What else would she want to talk about? Doilies and dumplings?

Receiving only an unwavering golden gaze in reply, she continued.

"It's been weeks since Inuyasha's death, and I can't help but feel as if… as if my mission is somehow even more obvious than it had been. Naraku killed Inuyasha; I have to kill Naraku."

An interesting declaration to say the least. But what did this have to do with him? Was she asking him to stand down and terminate his current pursuit of the dark hanyou? She always did seem a little off in the head.

"I was under the impression that we would be speaking of something involving myself, miko. As of yet, I have heard nothing that is of concern to this Sesshoumaru."

"But I do need you!" she exclaimed, losing her cool at the thought that he would get up and leave.

"I need you… to teach me. Teach me how to kill. To get revenge."


	6. Offer Extended and Emotions Recognised

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**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Inuyasha or any of the gang. I put Sesshoumaru on my Christmas list EVERY FREAKING YEAR… but I still don't own him. I need better friends.**

"I need you… to teach me. Teach me how to kill. To get revenge."

He had not anticipated such a request. His always-expressive brows shot up practically past his hairline.

_It seems that the miko has well and truly lost her mind._

"Your request comes as quite a surprise to this Sesshoumaru."

She shifted nervously, waiting for him to continue. When she was done fidgeting, she realized that was all she was going to get in the way of response.

"Please, Sesshoumaru." Kagome was begging now. Her voice was almost a whisper. She lowered her head, trying to fight back the tears. She felt defeated. It was almost as if he had already answered in the negative.

"Please. There's nothing else I can do. You know that you're the only one that can really teach me what I need to know. I just… I need to do this one thing. Please. Naraku, he… he took away my life. Please, don't say no."

He was awed by her emotion. He could smell her tears, the sadness pouring off of her. If he said no, she would go out and get herself killed.

But what did it matter to him? So her tears made him uncomfortable. That was no reason to invest time and effort into training a little miko to be something she wasn't supposed to. Miko were supposed to be kind and gentle – not ruthless killers.

_She's Inuyasha's wench. I can't just let her run off to her death. To do so would be unacceptable._

He really didn't want to, but his honor was getting in the way again. She was now his charge. What he wanted didn't matter. If protecting her meant teaching her how to kill Naraku, then he had no choice.

_Damn half-breed. The whelp is dead. I should no longer be affected by his antics._

"You will cease crying, miko. You lower yourself with these foolish tears." _Please just stop crying already._

She sniffled and looked up at him. Into his eyes. Eyes that were so like Inuyasha's, yet so different. She could see so many things written in his eyes, but she couldn't decipher the words. It was as if his soul was written in a different language that she could never comprehend in a million years. Even though she didn't understand it, she thought she could almost see a bit of warmth sparkling in his golden pools.

Then it was gone. The glacial indifference was once again spread all across his face, and she began to doubt that she ever actually saw anything else.

"I have come to a decision."

Her breath caught in her throat as she waited for him to continue. Kagome could feel the knot in her stomach tighten, as if to cushion the blow of defeat that would come when he denied her request.

"I set you this challenge: arrive at the Western Palace within three days time. Your friends may not accompany you. If this Sesshoumaru deems you strong enough, I shall train you. Show any weakness, and my offer is no longer valid.

Your time begins tomorrow at dawn."

With that, he stood and swept out of the clearing, mokomoko trailing behind him. His silver hair gleamed one last time before he was enveloped completely by the darkness of the forest. The demon lord's aura slowly dissipated as he traveled on, away from the stunned miko.

_He really just said that. He really, really did._

Kagome had no idea how long she had been sitting there, repeating those words to herself. In her completely gobsmacked state, she had failed to notice her back begin to ache and her joints go stiff. The night grew cold even as the little miko began to cry.

She cried for many reasons. She felt happier than she had since Inuyasha passed.

_No. He was murdered. And I finally – finally! – have the means to get my revenge. Maybe Inuyasha will be able to rest in peace. Maybe he'll be able to move on._

_Maybe I will too._

There was more than that. In part, she wept for her lost innocence. Kagome knew that she would never be the same. Never before had the pure young woman felt hatred. The hatred she felt for the dark hanyou was staggering, the sheer power of her loathing so immense that at times she felt she would drown in it.

Even still, there was more behind her tears. There was relief. Relief in knowing that, perhaps, things might be okay. Her life wasn't perfect and nothing could make it so, but still, she now had some control and it felt good. It was nice to think that maybe her life might start to go her way. Kagome's fate was no longer wind in the buffalo grass of time. Something had gone right. She had gained an ally and a teacher, in addition to hope – hope that her life could go on after this. She would always miss Inuyasha, but the pain would ease with time.

The miko knew that allowing her hatred to affect her life like this was unwise, but she didn't care. She had to do what she had to do, and once Naraku died at her hands, she could devote her life to, well... something. Something other than grieving for Inuyasha and plotting to rid the earth of a despicable murderer.

_This is my one shot. I can do what Sesshoumaru has put out for me to do, and soon I will be done with all of this._

But there was an emotion in her heart that she hadn't anticipated. Alongside Kagome's happiness, relief, and that bit of sadness, was something that she knew she should have expected, yet hadn't.

_I'm scared._


	7. A Journey Begun and A Perfect Shot

**Yipyipyip! New chappie right herr, right herr!**

**I feel like I haven't updated this story in a while, so here it is!**

**I also started an AU chapter story. Check it out! It's "Hakidonmuya – Time of the Waiting Moon." Please R&R… I haven't had any reviews on that one yet. *insert sad face here***

**As always, please review this chapter too… you'll totally make my life, pinky promise :D**

**It is easy to be brave from a distance. –Omaha proverb**

**DISCLAIMER: I totally own Sesshoumaru now. I know, you're wondering how I did it. Weeeelllllll, last night I went to sleep and a little while later he appeared and said he was mine. Strange, huh? Even weirder is that he was gone when I woke up…**

**But seriously I still don't. GAH!**

**.**...

_I'm scared._

Not wanting to dwell on the thought, Kagome jumped into action. The task set to her by Sesshoumaru wouldn't be easy. First of all, she had no idea where his damned palace was.

_I'm assuming somewhere… westward?_

Second in her mind was the fact that she couldn't bring Sango and Miroku. They would never understand if she told them she was leaving so Sesshoumaru could teach her to kill things.

_Oh, well. There's nothing that can be done._

She knew that Sesshoumaru wouldn't help her if she didn't follow his instructions to the letter.

Knowing her time was short, Kagome moved toward the camp as quickly as possible. Ducking under the brush, weaving between the trees, she tried to channel a little bit of Sesshoumaru's grace and speed.

_Yeah. Right._

Once she reached the outskirts of the camp, she burst into a nervous sweat. If something went wrong now, she wouldn't get another chance.

The miko moved silently into the camp. She rolled up her sleeping bag and stuffed it into her yellow monster of a backpack. The miko grabbed her bow and quiver and prepared to make good her escape. She hesitated before she followed through.

_I should leave something. They'll be worried._

She slipped the bag from her shoulder's trying not t make any noise. She reached into the back and pulled out an extra bottle of the shampoo she knew was Sango's favorite. Kagome placed it on a rock near the center of the camp where she knew it would not be missed.

The screams of her guilty conscience a bit quieter now, Kagome once again thought to leave the camp. Glancing to the right where she could see Sango curled up with Kirara and Miroku about five feet farther away, she stopped in her tracks. The taijiya slept soundly and the houshi was snoring as he dreamt of all the women that could bear his children. But one of them did not sleep.

Kirara followed Kagome with her eyes as she made to leave their campsite. She did nothing, just watching with sadness in her eyes. Kagome could almost hear her thoughts.

_So you're leaving us, too?_

At the same time, the miko felt an aura of old wisdom about the fire neko. She seemed to know that Kagome wouldn't leave without a good reason.

Or maybe she was making it up to make herself feel better. Either way, she had to go.

Seeing that Kirara would do nothing to stop her, Kagome gave the cat a sad smile and left just as she had a bit earlier. She could see a slight lightening in the eastern sky. The miko was well aware of the fact that she had little time before the trio at the camp would wake and notice her absence.

Booking it toward the west, away from the sunlight, the miko began to feel the first threads of fear tightening around her heart.

_What if I'm caught? What if I get lost? _

_What If I fail Inuyasha?_

Trying to distract herself, the distraught miko turned her thoughts to Shippou. She hadn't thought much of the kit since they had left him at Kaede's. They had all felt that with their numbers depleted, it was best to leave the little kitsune behind.

She couldn't help but feel unworthy of the kit's love. She had left him and not spared a single thought for him over the course of several weeks.

Realizing that this line of thinking was getting her nowhere but depressed, she put it out of her mind, deciding instead to focus on the task ahead of her.

She moved as quickly as her legs could take her, she maneuvered her way through the forest as their group had so many times before.

Except this time, she was alone.

_Stupid Kagome! SHUT UP! Just get all this over with and get back to everyone. It'll all be perfectly fine!_

Her strange mixture of berating and false optimism seemed to help a bit. She came upon the main road and took the western route.

A couple of hours after the sun had completely risen, she decided it would be best to travel alongside the path, hidden by the undergrowth of the forest. The miko hoped that she wouldn't be visible from oh, say, the back of a flying fire cat?

The miko trekked on, lost in her thoughts.

_I have to do this. I have to kill Naraku._

The image of Inuyasha, broken and dying, flashed in front of her mind's eye. The colors were as vivid as they had been that day and she could still smell the death that had filled the clearing. It smelled of rust and salt. It smelled of Inuyasha's blood.

The mental image was so horrendous, she had to stop and regain her breath. She held back her tears though, knowing they would get her nowhere.

_Be strong. For Inuyasha._

And it occurred to her again just how much she despised, how much she _loathed_ Naraku. The miko would stop at nothing to wipe that scum from the face of the earth. She would enjoy every moment that brought her closer to killing him.

The depth of her hatred scared even her. When she realized that she was actually picturing the spray of the dark hanyou's blood flying through the air, and reveling in it, she couldn't help but think that she had let it get a bit out of hand.

_No. It's fine. It will be easier this way. He'll be easier to kill if I hate him._

She was torn from her frightening reverie by a sudden nudge at the edge of her reiki. Driven by pure instinct, she whipped out her bow, knocking an arrow in one smooth motion.

She sighted down the length of the arrow, seeing for the first time the youkai that had brushed her awareness.

The giant lizard was hideous. Its sickening green scales had a harsh gleam to them that seemed sinister in the bright sunlight. The thing had deep, soulless black eyes that contained no emotion, only a yellow slitted pupil. It was only about her height, but it radiated an evil aura that was so large it was suffocating.

It lunged for her throat and, without even thinking, the miko released her arrow. It buried itself deep in the demon's eye socket before causing it to dissolve into a small pile of grey ash.

The miko lowered her bow and just stared at the remains of her foe for a second. Sure, she had killed demons before, but this time she was alone and she hadn't needed anyone. She didn't even call for help.

The priestess couldn't help but feel a little bit of warmth in her stomach. She was proud of what she had done.

...

Uh-oh! What has become of our dear little Kagome?

Please don't forget to review!

~Siki


	8. A Frantic Search and A Sprinting Miko

**SO. FUHREAKING. TIRED.**

**GAH.**

**Okay, so here's another chapter… can I go to bed now?**

**I almost forgot! I want to thank everyone that has read/reviewed/favorited/set alerts for this story. The response has been great and you make my life :D**

**I'm also really happy with the response to Haki, my other fic-in-progress (yes, it has a nickname). People have been very encouraging and accepting of the cultural references I've been stuffing in there. You people lyke totes rockkkk… obvii.**

**I promise… I'll never talk like that again.**

**We are friends; we must assist each other to bear our burdens.** **– Osage proverb**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Inuyasha and his friends. I also do not own any of his family members, including one very exceptional (winkwink) demon lord.**

….

"Do you see her yet, Miroku? She can't have gone far."

The monk couldn't help but think that the taijiya was underestimating her miko friend. Kagome was stronger than she seemed, and he had seen the way she acted lately. She was always thinking about something and now he wished he had confronted her about just what that 'something' was.

"No, my love. Perhaps we would have better luck on foot? We could visit a village or two and ask.."

His words died on his lips when he saw the look on his beloved's face.

"I know you are NOT honestly suggesting that we stop looking for Kagome just so you can WHORE yourself around a village and SWINDLE your way into a comfortable night's sleep!"

The monk immediately began to backtrack. He hadn't realized just how big his feet were until he found them stuck in his mouth.

He also chose to ignore the fact that she was rather attractive using such naughty language.

"No, no, no, my Sango! I would never! You know I only ask the village girls what stalls give the best bargains, never anything else, I-"

"HENTAI!"

SMACK!

The monk nearly fell from Kirara's back, the resounding slap he had just received causing him to lose his balance. Kirara shook her head and adjusted to keep the monk perched atop her safely.

"Now, Miroku," Sango began in that voice that Miroku knew meant trouble, "we will continue searching for Kagome. And we will not stop until we find her."

She paused for a moment to put the fear in him and then gritted out through clenched teeth, "Got it, houshi?"

He nodded enthusiastically in the hopes of appeasing her.

_Deliciously feisty._

Sango turned forward, once again scanning the landscape below for any signs of Kagome.

They had slept later than usual and had been surprised to find Kagome gone. Intuitively, Sango knew something was wrong. They searched the area around the camp, completely mystified as to just where Kagome had run off to.

_We have to find her. I've lost my brother… I will not lose my sister._

They had broken camp with little to-do and hopped onto Kirara's transformed back. Heading first to the East, they traveled almost an hour before moving North again. They were coming up empty-handed and Sango wanted nothing more than to burst out into tears.

_No. I must be strong._

"Kirara, southwest. This way isn't taking us any closer to her. I can just feel it."

So the three continued on, hoping against all hope to find their friend alive and well.

Kagome continued on, completely oblivious to her friends' inner turmoil.

Just around noon, when the sun had reached its zenith, she spotted a village a short way down the road. Not wanting to pop out of the woods closer to the town and risk having the villagers think she needed psychological help, she slowly made her way out into the middle of the road.

_Why am I worried about looking like a sketch in front of a bunch of strangers?_

She flounced her way down the road, mentally taking stock of her funds. She had only taken the money she had received for _real_ exorcisms, not Miroku's fake ones.

_I should have enough for a nice lunch! _She thought with a smile.

The miko reached the town and immediately made her way to the closest inn. After ordering her meal, she sat and evaluated the other diners.

They all seemed rather sickly, even the men. Their skin had become sallow and their actions sluggish. Looking at the man nearest her, the priestess noticed that even his eyes seemed a bit cloudy.

_What is going on here?_

Before she could entertain her thoughts any further, the innkeeper brought her food.

She took out her payment, but she didn't relinquish it right away.

"Do you know where the Western Palace is? I seem to be a bit… well, lost," she said with a light flush and a flash of her winning smile.

The innkeeper looked surprised at her question. What would a young girl such as this be going to the Western Palace for? And why was she alone? He stroked his thick beard as he considered his answer.

"It is about three and a half day's walk down the road. You must continue down the main path for one full day. Early the next day you should come to a double fork. I'm pretty sure the second one on the left is the fastest. It should lead you directly to the palace gates."

Unsure of how to continue, he paused and rubbed his bald head.

Kagome couldn't help but smile at the image of the bald man with that thick beard.

_It's as if his hair has gone south for the winter._

Her smile faded as soon as she realized what he had just told her.

_It's past midday… I have less than two and a half days to get there!_

Just as the innkeeper got the nerve up to ask her about her destination, the girl jumped up and fled the room. He ran to the door and watched her retreating form as she sprinted down the road he had told her to follow.

Turning back to her vacated seat, he shook his head. She had included an extra silver coin in his payment.

….

Voilaaaaa! See, Kagome isn't sooo bad XD

Please review!

I am now off to the Land of Nod to report for duty. See y'all later!

~Siki


	9. A Sour Mood and Darkness Descends

Hello all!

Sorry for the long time without an update. Just a lot of stuff going on, including the whole being admitted to the hospital thing. *irritation*

I don't really have much to say for once, other than enjoy the chapter… and please review!

DISCLAIMER: I own nothing…. *sniff*

…

_Run, run, run, run, RUN!_

Kagome chanted inside her mind, hoping that maybe it would help distract her from the pain in her lungs. All of her time spent in the Sengoku Jidai had certainly made her physically fit by just about anyone's standards, but even the young miko couldn't run for more than an hour at a time.

Slowing down to a mid-paced walk, she tried to fill her poor, aching lungs with some much needed air.

_This sucks._

She did plenty of complaining in the deepest recesses of her mind. The goal was to keep herself from doing what she really wanted: sitting her butt down on the path and screaming at that damn fluffy… _dog._

She seethed to herself even as she walked, her hideous yellow backpack bouncing up and down on her shoulders.

_Who _does_ that? The jerk could have at least _told_ me. Who does Lord Fluffypants think he is? The _nerve_ of some demons!_

As the young miko continued on her way, she eventually stopped her internal ranting and turned to more practical issues. She knew that she didn't have much time. Certainly not enough to sleep all night.

_I guess I'm going to be going without sleep… again._

With that sentence, the Shikon Miko realized just how completely and utterly _whiny_ she was being. She was even beginning to irritate herself.

_That's it! No more complaining. I got myself into this, and I'll get myself out!_

Cementing her resolve, the miko set her shoulders back and held her chin a little higher… until she stubbed her toe on a rather sizable (and decidedly inconveniently placed) rock.

Looking down, the young woman stared for almost a full minute at what was now a very sore little appendage.

Though her reaction was delayed, it was certainly not subtle. The miko gave in to her basest desire and dropped to the ground… and screamed.

She didn't scream the scream of a woman in pain, nor was it the scream of one in distress. Her shrill, grating cry was one of pure unadulterated frustration. She was sick of walking, she was sick of worrying, she was sick of pompous demon lords, she was sick of roughing it in the wilderness, she was sick of the freaking jewel, she was sick of the whole goddamn thing!

Ending her impressively high-pitched shriek, the miko glanced around her for witnesses. Seeing none, and feeling much better, she got up, dusted herself off, and continued walking.

….

The miko was in a foul mood. She had walked through the night, only to still be walking at dawn.

Kagome had thought of another thing she was sick of: being scared. The miko had jumped at every single noise to be heard over the course of the night, eve to the point of walking with her bow at the ready for a few hours.

With the incessant crunch of her feet on the dirt path as her background music, the miko walked away from the sun as fast as she could.

Before the sun had fully appeared in the east, she came to the fork the innkeeper had told her about. Taking the route he had advised, she felt a bit of a spring in her step. The miko felt a little hope begin to blossom in her chest. She knew that she had reached the split early. Perhaps she could keep up the pace and make her destination in time.

_I wonder what the palace will look like,_ she thought. _Probably made completely of white marble. Just to make sure no one forgets who lives there._

Deciding to drop that particular train of thought before her mood could turn sour once more, Kagome began to hum softly to herself. She wrapped herself up in her own little world where there was no jewel, no evil hanyou, and no one ever died.

She was so preoccupied in fact, that she didn't even realize when things went wrong.

The sun was blocked from view as the road narrowed and the trees became crowded, almost as if they were crouching over the road, blocking it from the view of prying eyes. The earth became deadly silent, without even the sound of singing birds to be heard on the wind. An unseasonal chill crept into the air even as the sun shone brightly on the main path just recently vacated by the lone traveler.

He dropped seemingly out of nowhere, and before Kagome could even knock an arrow he had appeared in front of her. The large youkai's fist made contact with the girl's ribcage, effectively knocking the air out of her lungs.

Kagome struggled in the youkai's arms, but it did her no good. Their voices were nothing but soft murmurs to her ears even as her world faded to black.

….

Sorry it's not long, more of a filler…. I can only make walking so interesting. And I'm on some pretty good meds myself. :D

And on that note, please review!

~Siki


	10. Held Hostage and An Interesting Arrival

**Bonjour!**

**I know, I know. I'm supposed to be updating Haki instead of this fic, but I just feel bad leaving you with such a dud last update. Sooo… here we are!**

**I also have a sketch to scan and upload to Dokuga. I'm calling it the cover for this fic, just because I can. It doesn't say the name of this fic simply due to the fact that I am completely inept when it comes to adding text to scanned images. I could have written it, but I'm really bad at writing prettifully :( If someone wants to put the title and my penname on it for me…. :D**

**So hopefully, this chapter won't be quite as bad as the last one. I hope you enjoy, and please leave a review! They keep the evil plunnies away… .**

**The weakness of the enemy makes our strength. – Cherokee proverb**

**DISCLAIMER: I still have nothing to do with Inuyasha. I don't even own any Inuyasha memorabilia…**

…

Kagome woke with a splitting headache. Once she got past that fact, the miko began to notice other things. First of all, there was the cord wrapped around her wrists, a perfect match to the one currently restraining her ankles. The gag in her mouth was an obviously unclean strip of cloth.

_Lovely._

Then there was the damp rock she was laying on, her shoulder aching as if to protest being squished into the hard surface. The priestess could feel the chill of the moisture seeping into her clothing, into her very bones.

Apparently stone was the theme of the room. Looking around, the young woman saw nothing but rock walls and floors, accented every now and then with the wonderfully archaic-looking torch holders on the walls. There were only two torches, but they served well enough to burn the grogginess from her eyes.

The whole place had that musty odor that came only from a combination of moisture, neglect, and disuse.

_Three very unpleasant circumstances…_

The thick wooden door with its barred window was a dead giveaway: she was stuck in a dank, dirty _dungeon._

At this realization, the panic began to set in.

_Ohgodohgodohgod….I'm gonna die, I just know it! I'll never get to see Shippou again, I'll never get to apologize to Sango and Miroku again, Mama will never know I'm dead, ohgodohgodohgod…_

Her little mental tirade was interrupted when she heard a squeak worthy of a horror movie accompanied by heavy footsteps. Her head snapped in the direction of the door. A beam of light streamed in from the hallway, a silhouette of a rather large man outlined in the opening.

The terrified priestess began to squirm, though she knew there was nothing she could do. She was trapped.

The man stepped into the room, his demonic aura confirming his race. Kagome could just barely make out the rugged planes of his features. His face was scarred with battle and, almost as an afterthought, she checked to see if he had a weapon. Seeing a nasty-looking sword strapped to his waist, the miko's struggles increased in intensity.

Clad in completely black haori and hakama, the youkai was almost invisible in the dark room. The only thing that she could see clearly was the evil glint in his bright orange eyes.

As he drew closer, it became apparent that he was covered in chestnut fur, another reason he blended well with the dark surroundings.

Coming to a stop near the miko, his feet only about a foot from her face, he peered down at her. His amusement at her struggles showed in his toothy grin.

"Isn't it cute? The little human thinks she can run away."

Bending his knees and leaning down until the miko could feel his hot, rancid breath in her face, the furry youkai spoke again, his voice sending a chill down Kagome's spine.

"She's sadly mistaken."

The underlying threat made her stop wriggling. Obviously he wasn't letting her go any time soon, and she wasn't going to push her luck.

"Much better," he said with that evil grin of his. "I do so love a submissive little human to… entertain me every now and again."

_What does he mean? Is he going to… no, he can't! Doesn't he realize…?_

It was then that she felt a little nudging in the back of her mind. It was a little bit of hope, telling her that he didn't know she was a priestess with the ability to purify his dirty, disgusting self into oblivion.

As his hand made contact with her leg and began to move its way up, up under her skirt, the panic returned. He made his way higher, coming in contact with the waistband of her panties.

Just as he gave them a little tug, Kagome lost it. Her reiki swelled, bursting out of her. A bright pink bolt shot from her body and up the youkai's arm, reducing him to a pile of ashes in a split second.

The sheer power contained in that one defensive move drained the miko completely. She was rendered unconscious for the second time in one day.

Alone in his study, Sesshoumaru found himself quite surprised. He felt a great source of miko powers, somewhere in his palace.

The miko had arrived… and she was early.

….

Thank you for reading and please review!

~Siki


	11. A Confrontation and A Warm Welcome

**Chappie numbahh eleven! Double ones, babeh!**

**Sorry this one took some time. Usual busy stuffs. Not much to say, so enjoy the chapter and pleasepleaseplease review!**

**Before eating, always take time to thank the food. – Arapaho proverb**

**DISCLAIMER: I own absolutely nothing. All I have left are my senseless fantasies and broken dreams… and my stories that enable me to manipulate teh Sessheh!**

….

Kagome woke once again, aching in places she didn't know could ache. The musty smell reminded her of where she was and the panic instantly overrode any thoughts she had at all of pain.

_You certainly seem to be sleeping an awful lot for someone so scared._

She couldn't help the sarcastic little voice in her head from making itself heard. Not amused by her own wit, she tried to shuffle herself into a position that would relieve the pressure on her shoulder.

Hearing the door once again, she started and her head snapped into position. Her body went completely still, her pain and her mission to relieve it completely forgotten.

The large door opened once again and another figure entered the room. The torch he carried allowed her to see his face more clearly than that of her previous visitor. She took in all the features of his face and was reminded of nothing so much as the werewolves of modern-day stories. His body was small and compact and the ruff around his neck was fluffy and shaggy in texture.

Seeing that he was the object of her scrutiny, he grinned an evil grin and she found herself disgusted by the grime she saw caked and crusted between his neglected dentition. Not wanting to imagine what it was – _Oh, my God, it's dried blood, he's gonna eat me, OHMYGOD – _she shut her eyes tight as if she could just ignore him, as if she could make him go away.

He approached her small, vulnerable form. He reached her side… and did nothing. He stood over her and stared for a long while.

Unaware of what had happened due to her self-induced blindness and wondering why she hadn't been consumed yet, the miko opened one eye just enough to see him next to her. Discomfitted by his lingering gaze, Kagome began shivering.

The youkai knelt by her side and gripped her shoulders. Her muscles locked and she did not move. Her lids glued shut once again.

The demon did nothing but move her body so that she was sitting on the stone slab that had caused her so much pain. A claw was placed underneath her chin, pushing so as to angle her face into the light.

Surprised by his actions (or lack thereof) the miko opened her eyes and immediately met his frosty blue ones. She was held captive by his gaze, just as much as she was held tight by the bonds around her wrists and ankles.

Well aware of her inability to move, the youkai reached around and untied the gag still in her mouth. He let the dirty rag fall, still staring into her eyes.

Finishing his evaluation, he tipped his head and spoke.

"Hello, miko. I am Usotsuki. How are you feeling?"

She sat there, completely stunned. Here she was, bruised and aching, held captive in a freaking _dungeon_, and this psychopath was making light conversation?

Still, she didn't want to push his buttons. He was obviously crazy and she didn't want to push him over the edge.

"I'm, err, fine. Um… why am I here? If you don't mind me asking…" Her voice trailed off. She was trying to be polite, but she didn't really know how to talk to a crazy.

He chuckled lightly, sending shivers down her spine. His voice wrapped around her like smooth silk against her abused skin.

"Well, my lady, you are here because I had you brought here."

She opened her mouth after a moment, thinking that he was done speaking. Sure, he had answered her question. He just hadn't done it very well.

Before she could speak again he continued.

"And I had you brought here because you, little miko, are just that. My… _colleagues_ and myself have long disliked the situation that we have been put in by your, shall we say, interfering. Being rid of one more priestess will only make it easier for youkai to exterminate the human race.

"But now, imagine my surprise when I come to find that you, my little pet, you! are currently in possession of multiple shards of the ever-elusive Shikon no Tama. Ah! What a wonderful day it was that I came upon you, dear. And now, I will be relieving you of these pretty little trinkets, ridding myself of you, and continuing on my way a bit more powerful than I previously was. How lovely does that sound?"

The miko couldn't help but go a little slackjawed. He said it all so politely, so completely _gentlemanly_, that she couldn't help but think her mind was playing tricks on her.

She knew it wasn't when his hand stretched out towards her and the bottle that held the shards.

He was rather peeved.

The miko had arrived and no one had felt it necessary to alert him to her presence in his home.

Just as he felt the poison reach the tips of his claws, he realized that something was wrong. The miko was not near the entrance. Her aura placed her far from the entrance gates.

And she was scared.

The miko held her breath as the youkai's claws neared her throat. Her eyes were squeezed shut for the umpteenth time and she readied herself to be torn to shreds.

What she didn't expect was the sudden gust of air against her cheek and the _thud_ against the wall to her left.

Turning her head and opening her eyes, the miko was very surprised by what she saw.

Sesshoumaru held Usotsuki by throat and pressed him high against the wall. The youkai's short stature assured that his feet couldn't touch the ground and he began to struggle as the breath was squeezed from his throat.

Sesshoumaru's face was a mask of cool rage as he watched Usotsuki flop like a fish out of water. He held the smaller demon firmly against the wall and proceeded to ignore his victim as he turned to the miko.

"You have sustained no injuries."

It wasn't a question, but she thought that it should be one. Her mouth a small 'o' of amazement, she slowly shook her head left to right.

"Hn."

He turned back to Usotsuki upon her confirmation and watched for another moment, seeming to enjoy the fuzzy one's struggling.

Reaching up with his other hand – _Where'd he get that? – _he gave his victim's head a quick wrench to the side and let him drop. The demon slipped to the floor, rendered unconscious by the demon lord's quick action.

Sesshoumaru pulled his eyes from the demon's crumpled form and looked back to the shell-shocked miko. He made his way over to her.

He stared at her with one eyebrow raised and wondered when she would close her mouth.

Returning to reality at last, the miko straightened as well as she could, closed her mouth, and met Sesshoumaru's gaze.

Deciding that her brain hadn't completely melted and left her even more useless than she already was, Sesshoumaru knelt and cut her bonds.

She found herself surprised by his actions yet again.

_Should probably thank him now, stupid._

_Shut up, you!_ she yelled at her inner self. She was just getting to that.

"Thank you, Sessh- um, Lord Sesshoumaru. I don't know who that guy was exactly, but he said he was going to kill me..."

"Hn."

She never knew exactly what to say to that.

"Yeah… so thanks." Then she realized that this gleaming demon lord did not belong in such a dingy place as this. Why had he suddenly appeared then? "So, um, Lord Sesshoumaru? Not to sound rude or anything, but why are you here?"

That one made him smirk. He supposed she would be confused.

"You, miko, have inadvertently made your way into my home.

"Welcome to the Western Palace."

…

Phew! I'm sorry, Sesshoumaru, but I didn't know if you would make it in time!

Thank you for reading and please review :)

~Siki

P.S. – I have been informed by the all-knowing interwebs that Usotsuki means 'a liar.'

Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, but it doesn't really matter, does it. His ass is grass.


	12. Too Many Stairs and a False Accusation

Yayyy! It's another chapter!...

Don't all cheer at once. T.T

Not feeling so talkative right now, so I won't force you to pretend to read another long A/N. XD

Listen or your tongue will keep you deaf. – Ute proverb

DISCLAIMER: Still don't own Inuyasha or any of its characters… which means that Takahashi Rumiko is STILL teh luckiest ladeh in teh world!

….

The miko simply stared at her savior for a moment, in awe at his statement.

"Huh," she said, not sure quite else to say.

_That was easier than I expected._

Sesshoumaru raised an imperious eyebrow at her obvious surprise.

"How very eloquent," he replied drily. Without waiting for rebuttal, he turned and stalked out of the dungeon. The miko jumped up to follow him after realizing that he was actually going to leave her behind. She felt a bit of pins and needles around her ankles where the leather thongs had held her, cutting off her circulation.

Running to catch up with the demon lord, Kagome took the chance to look around. He was leading her up many flights of stairs, the space between the walls narrow and the spiral case steep and tightly wound. Even as she expected herself to get dizzy, she realized that at each landing the air got cleaner and space itself seemed to become more hospitable.

_Wow… must have been down there pretty far,_ she thought with a mental gulp. She could have been killed down there, and no one would have known.

After a couple moments of climbing the steep staircase, Kagome began to huff and puff with the effort. Sesshoumaru either didn't notice or, more likely, chose to ignore it out of lack of concern. The miko grew more than a little bit irritated at his indifference. She chose to stay silent for the time being, settling on leveling a scathing glare at his silk-clad back and swaying silver hair.

This was, she soon realized, a bad choice. She found herself growing annoyed with how extremely, disgustingly _beautiful_ his damn hair was. Seriously. He just choked a guy out and not even a hair out of place! There was _no_ justice.

Her anger sufficiently distracted her from the tough climbing and they reached the top landing capped by an ornate red door bordered with silver paint and little white cherry blossoms.

Sesshoumaru pushed the door open, standing to the side. Kagome's angry mood lifted for a second at the thought that he was finally being polite. She lifted her chin a bit and looked Sesshoumaru in the face.

"Thank you, my Lord," she said with an air of imperiousness.

"You are in the way, miko."

Angered once more by his response, Kagome stomped through the opening, stopping about five feet from the door on the other side.

Sesshoumaru ignored her minor tantrum and stood in the doorway with his back to her. Summoning up his youki, he placed a barrier around the opening and infused his strength into the wood of the door. He shut it tight once again when he was finished and motioned for a servant.

The man that came running at Sesshoumaru's beckoning gesture was a broad-shouldered man of about fifty years old. He wasn't unattractive, but there was something strange about him that Kagome couldn't quite place.

The man bowed in respect and waited for his orders.

"Tell my captain of the guard to be in my study within the hour."

He bowed once more. "Yes, my Lord."

As the servant walked off to find the captain, Kagome finally figured out what was strange about the situation.

She gave a Sesshoumaru and accusatory glance.

"He was human!" she exclaimed.

"Thank you for pointing that out. Have you not seen one before?" came the sarcastic response.

The diminutive miko scowled and chose to ignore his tone. "You hate humans!"

Sesshoumaru began to walk away with a graceful toss of his hair over his left shoulder.

"So you assume."

_Gah!_

She was getting sick of chasing after this stubborn _dog_. Kagome planted her feet and huffed at him, finally getting his attention. Sesshoumaru turned around and looked at the exasperating miko.

"What do you mean, I 'assume'? You've made it quite clear that you hate humans!"

This was getting old. He was already sick of this miko and he had been aware of her presence for, oh, twenty minutes?

_Perhaps if only I hadn't been in such a hurry to save her. A minute or so more and I would not be dealing with this._

He turned his cold gaze on the miko, causing her eyes to bug as if they'd pop out and roll away.

"And when, miko, have I made such a statement? You have made your own assumptions, based purely on your own belief. Your argument lacks evidence and your statement lacks truth." He did a graceful turn on his heel and continued on his way.

Kagome stood there for a moment and hung her head. He had a point. She didn't know anything about him, but she had made plenty of judgements.

_Even after he saves me, I can't be fair. _

_And in his palace, too!_

_Well this sucks._

The miko found herself meekly following the demon lord, not paying much attention to their lavish surroundings. Finally finding her voice, she said, "Sesshoumaru-sama?"

He stopped without turning and she could sense the tense air around him. As always, his youki was well contained and appeared calm, but she could sense the tension in the air around him.

She sighed and continued, "I'm sorry. I… I shouldn't have judged you. It was wrong. Don't be angry, please."

He didn't give any response that she could hear. Mentally kicking herself and thinking that he had denied her apology, she deflated a bit, not sure of how to proceed.

"Your apology is accepted."

She instantly perked up and beamed at him, feeling light and refreshed at her absolution. Her little inner Kagome did a victory dance and even threw in a cartwheel for good measure.

Containing her excitement, Kagome ran to catch up with her host and the pair continued on their way in amicable silence.

….

Not sure how long that silence will last with motor-mouth Kagome around! Thank you so much for reading and please review!... My Dokuga people, I'm talking to you. Your lack of feedback makes me sad :'(

~Siki


	13. A Confusing Discussion and a Warm Bath

Lucky #13!

Just updated Haki, but I would feel bad not updating this story too… especially because today is technically the day to update this story.

Blechh.

I'd like to thank everyone that's been supporting me and reviewing this story and/or Haki! You guys are so wonderful! And your reviews really keep me going!

When we show our respect for other living things, they respond with respect for us. – Arapaho proverb

DISCLAIMER: I am not currently in possession of the rights to Inuyasha, just as Kinky-Ho - I mean Kikyo - is not in possession of a heart.

….

The two leisurely made their way through the halls of the palace, though Kagome didn't know where they were going. Not that she minded. She was too busy taking in the beauty of their surroundings.

It wasn't made of white marble as she had expected. It was actually a surprisingly inviting space, with high vaulted ceilings and large, airy windows. The view was magnificent and Kagome marveled at the beauty of the surrounding hills. The palace and its sprawling grounds were encircled by a high wall. Beyond the wall she could see the dense forest and she even caught a glimpse of the path she would have taken to reach to palace.

Turning her attention back inside, the miko noticed the faint golden illustrations on the warm tan walls. Thin lines of gilded gold paint had been used to cover the wall in curling vines and leaves. Scattered sakura blossoms drifted between the vines as if blown by the wind. Footsteps echoed down the long hallway as humans and demons alike went about their business. Kagome couldn't help but be surprised to see the mingling of the races.

_It seems that I have arrived on a strange planet. Everything looks the same, but on this planet Sesshoumaru likes humans. How very strange…_

It was then that she noticed the covert looks and slight glares that she received from the narrowed eyes of some passing youkai.

_Figures. I'm the only human that _isn't_ likeable. _

She nearly missed Sesshoumaru's change of course as he turned the corner. He took a right deeper into the castle and kept going until he reached a door. Stationed outside were two muscular youkai in the colors of the house. They bowed to Sesshoumaru and stepped aside, one of them reaching over and sliding the shoji open.

Kagome stepped in and admired the warm tones of the mid-size room. There were tones of forest green and deep brown. There was a large wall of shelving, covered in scrolls and book. Toward the back of the room, facing the door, was a large desk. It was rather unorganized, covered in scattered papers.

Sesshoumaru took a seat behind the desk and pointed her to a pile of cushions in the corner. She sat and they stared at each other for a moment.

"What?" she finally asked after the silence stretched out too long for her.

Up went the eyebrow.

"You are early."

She was confused for a second, not really remembering their deal. She had been through quite a bit in the past few hours and it had completely slipped her mind.

"Oh! Am I? That's good to know."

"Hn."

She was mystified. What did that even _mean_?

"Yeah. So you're going to train me, right?"

He looked at her like he thought she was an imbecile. But then again, he probably did.

"Did this Sesshoumaru not give you his word, miko? Though you did not complete your journey, I will keep my end of the bargain."

He pulled a rope that hung off to the right of his desk.

"A servant will be here to take you to your rooms. You will be expected to make an appearance at the evening meal."

Even as he completed his sentence, there was a knock on the shoji.

"Enter."

Another servant, this one some sort of cat youkai, stepped into the room and bowed. She had pale skin and wide, sparkling green eyes with slit pupils. Her midnight black hair framed her well-proportioned face and high cheekbones. The neko was compact in build, but still taller than Kagome, and she wore a white haori with plain black hakama. Kagome was slightly surprised to see a black tail curl over the youkai's shoulder.

"You summoned, my Lord?" Her feminine and unmistakably feline voice curled around them in a question.

"The miko will be housed in the southern wing," he said, and almost as an afterthought he added, "and she will be needing a bath."

The cat bowed and looked at the slightly offended Kagome, waiting for her to follow. Kagome stood, but she then turned to Sesshoumaru to ask, "Where is Rin? I'd like to say hi to her."

The demon lord didn't spare her a glance, his attention wholly consumed with his paperwork. "She is at her lessons. You will see her at the evening meal."

Kagome nodded and smiled. At least Rin would be some fun! She didn't know when Sesshoumaru would start their training, but that was no reason to be bored.

The miko and the youkai vacated the room. Kagome followed the feline from a distance. She could sense the demon's dislike in her aura and she really didn't want to be too close.

They walked in silence down the twisting hallways, finally reaching their apparent destination. The youkai entered the room first, Kagome trailing behind.

_Oh. My. GOD._

It was beautiful. A small fire burned in the hearth and a large canopy bed waited in the corner.

_Are those… silk?_

She crossed the room to feel the sheets.

_Oh my God, they are._

_Maybe this isn't so bad…_

"The wardrobe has plenty of kimono. You can choose one to put on after your bath."

The cat's voice brought Kagome back to earth and she scanned the room for the wardrobe. Spotting the large bamboo doors, she opened them and looked in curiously.

The kimono she found had to be the most beautiful garments she had ever seen. She reached in and stroked them, the luxurious silk cushioning her fingers. The miko was in heaven.

_How do I choose?_

Trying to be get on her good side, Kagome turned to the neko youkai and flashed a winning smile.

"I can't choose. Which one do you think I should wear?"

The youkai gave the miko a mixed look. Kagome didn't know whether she was irritated or confused herself.

Either way, the youkai approached the wardrobe. She gave the miko a quick look before turning and grabbing a deep blue kimono. She then chose a plain white nagajuban and a sparkling silver obi. She held up the kimono for Kagome's inspection.

The miko immediately liked the neko. The kimono she chose was the perfect choice. The deep blue was punctuated with small dragonflies below the waistline. The silver obi would accentuate the kimono's blue tone very well, like silver stars against the night sky.

Kagome beamed and clapped her hands together. "It's perfect!" she exclaimed, eliciting an almost-smile from the youkai servant.

What a strange miko.

The youkai nodded and motioned for Kagome to follow. They left the room and continued down the hall. The neko knocked on the shoji panel and it slid open at the noise. The pair stepped in and Kagome was immediately hit by the moisture in the air. The room contained a large pool, obviously very warm. Kagome assumed that it bubbled forth from a natural spring somewhere under the palace.

An attendant came forward and took the clothing, placing her selections on a hook. Kagome was handed a towel and some soaps. The attendant pointed to the steps down into the pool and Kagome began undressing, running to immerse herself in the pool when she was done.

The youkai servant that had accompanied her finished her conversation with the attendant and turned to leave, but Kagome stopped her.

"Wait! What's your name?"

The neko gave a small smile and nodded in deference. "My name is Asami, my Lady."

Kagome smiled right back. "Okay. Thank you for your help!"

Asami bowed before turning, her black tail trailing behind.

….

I don't like cats. Ick.

It seems Kagome's infectious. That girl can get to anybody!

I know it's short and kind of filler-y, but I wasn't going to update at all today. Better than nothing, right?

Please review! I'll love you forever.

~Siki

P.S. – I'm told that Asami means 'beautiful linen.' I thought it kind of fit, but I'm not sure if the interwebs were right. Either way, that's her name from now on! *arbitrary nod*


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